Join us for a rare opportunity to hear Oscar-winning actor and social activist Richard Dreyfuss as the keynote speaker at the Association's Monday, March 26 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue. Immediate-Past Chancellor Alan M. Feldman will be honored at the event. Read more...

Volunteers Needed for Law Week April 30 - May 4

Volunteers are needed to help with Law Week activities. If you would like to volunteer for Lawyer in the Classroom, please contact Abbie DuFrayne at 215-665-1995 or dufrayne@uwalumni.com.

Chancellor's Forum for Mayoral Candidates April 10

The Philadelphia Bar Association will host a Chancellor's Forum for mayoral candidates on Tuesday, April 10 beginning at 11:45 a.m. at The CLE Conference Center in the Wanamaker Building.

The program is co-sponsored by the Criminal Justice Section and Young Lawyers Division, the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, the South Asian Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley, the Hispanic Bar Association and the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division.

The event will begin with a luncheon at 11:45 a.m. on the 10th floor of the Wanamaker Building, Juniper Street entrance (between 13th and Broad Streets, opposite City Hall).

There is no charge to attend this program, but you must RSVP to attend since space is limited. Click here to RSVP for this program.

Minorities in the Profession meeting Thursday, March 29

Join Phyllis Sisenwine for this high energy, motivational program, titled "Choices: You Are What You Choose."

Phyllis is a Master Certified Coach and has an international practice providing coaching services to law firms and lawyers who want to increase profits and improve performance. Her expertise in coaching lawyers has allowed her to be known internationally as "The Lawyer's Coach."

The meeting will take place at 12 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center. Click here to RSVP for the program.

Monday, March 19

YLD Executive Committee Meeting

11th Floor Conference Center

12 p.m.

Mock Trial Competition finals March 17

The Mock Trial Competition finals will be held on March 17 at the National Constitution Center located on Independence Mall at 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA. The trial begins promptly at 12:30 p.m. in the Kirby Auditorium and the trial activities, including an awards ceremony and reception, will conclude by 4:00 p.m.

Oscar-winning actor and social activist Richard Dreyfuss will be the keynote speaker at the Association's March 26 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue.

Dreyfuss won the Academy Award for best actor in 1977 for his performance in "The Goodbye Girl." He was nominated for Best Actor in 1996 for his role in "Mr. Holland's Opus." He has appeared in dozens of films, including Stephen Spielberg classics "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Three of his films were recently included in the American Film Institute's list of the greatest 100 films.

"I am delighted that Richard Dreyfuss will be our speaker at the March Quarterly," said Chancellor Jane L. Dalton. "Although probably best known as a talented actor, Mr. Dreyfuss has been a longtime political activist. He is on the board of the National Constitution Center here in Philadelphia and has been studying the teaching of civics at Oxford University in England," she said.

"Mr. Dreyfuss speaks passionately and eloquently about the importance of an enlightened populace that understands the need for reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate. He urges that we educate our children to understand the important and unique ideals of the American republic, including the principals of freedom of thought, freedom of association and the personal responsibility of all citizens for their government," Dalton said.

Immediate-Past Chancellor Alan M. Feldman will be honored at the event. Feldman will be presented with a snuff box, an exact replica of the one presented to Andrew Hamilton for his defense of John Peter Zenger in 1735. The gold box is presented annually to the immediate-past Chancellor and is inscribed with the message, "Acquired not by money, but by character."

Tickets are $50 for Bar Association members and can be purchased online.

Maurice Cheeks gets my vote (if I had one) for NBA coach of the year by Jeff Lyons

Cheeks' team was downright awful for the first 3 1/2 months of the season. His superstar has been traded away, yet he's managed to get the Sixers within 4.5 games of making the playoffs. The playoffs! Just two months ago the debate was raging about possible lottery picks, since the Sixers were a good bet to finish with the league's worst record.

But a funny thing happened once Allen Iverson got traded to Denver for Andre Miller and Joe Smith in December and the Sixers bought out Chris Webber's contract. The team got better - a whole lot better. They've played close to .500 ball since the Iverson trade, which is quite an accomplishment considering the team was a miserable 5-18 with Iverson on the roster.

Andre Iguodala has stepped up his game and become an offensive catalyst. Samuel Dalembert has rebounded as if his life depended on it. Newcomer Miller has provided a calming, veteran influence on the team.

That's the other thing to consider - this is now a team, not Allen Iverson waiting for four other guys to get him the ball. The offense is balanced and opponents can no longer key on Iverson. Miller, Iguodala and sharpshooter Kyle Korver are all offensive threats.

Perhaps the turnaround came following an embarrassing 109-90 loss to Milwaukee on Feb. 24. Cheeks held a closed-door meeting with the team and basically told them to stop feeling sorry for themselves. He told the team they had better start playing like an NBA team instead of waiting for help from the draft lottery, because that lottery pick could very well take someone's job away. He also told the players he believed in them, no matter what anyone else said. He got them out of the lottery pick mindset and got them playing winning basketball.

So naturally, they went on a seven-game winning streak. The team has cooled off slightly this week with a loss in Atlanta and one-point loss at home to the Bulls. But it's definitely a different team. This team is no longer Allen Iverson and four other guys. It's a team that's actually fun to watch with a shot at the playoffs. And Sixers fans have Maurice Cheeks to thank for that.

Jeff Lyons, senior managing editor of the Philadelphia Bar Reporter and Bar Reporter Online, is a glutton for punishment and a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan. His e-mail address is jlyons@philabar.org.